Insulated rail-joint.



G. W. WHITEMAN.

INSULATBD BAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION Hum Mmm, 1909.

l 941,175. Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

:3 7 "7 l [I7 Il s 8 s' @www S i um', a citizen of the United GEORGE W. WHITEMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHRISTIAN J. BUCK, OF GALLITZIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

- INSULATED RAIL-JOIN T.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 23, 1909.

Application filed Iarch 2, V1909. Seriall'o. 480,942.

To all whom 'it may concern:

' .Beit known that I, GEORGE W. WHITE- States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Insulated Rail-Joints, of which the following is a s] )cci cation.

My invention relates to rail joints; and the object of my invention is to provide a simple form of insulated joint possessingmaterial advantages over insulated joints in present use in the ease with which it may be disposed in place and set up vand tightened when loosened by wear. l

My invention is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l, is aside elevation of an insulated joint constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, is a sectional plan view, on the line a-a, Fig. l; Fig. 3, is a cross sectional View, on the line b-b, Fig. 2, and Figs. 4- and 5, are sectional views of the same character' as Fig. 2, illustrating modifications embodying my invention.

My invention consists of a structure designed for insulating both of the meetin ends of therail, and comprises an insulated. joint having 'outer splice bars, discontinuous inner filler members or filler bars next to the rails, and sheet insulation between the splice bars and the filler members; the latter being arranged to engage the under side of the' rail heads and having their outer wall concaved' from end to end. The area of the upper portion of such concaved wall, which is substantially a flange, is greater than the area of the under sides of the rail heads, whereby an increased bearing area is provided for the insulation with a consequent reduction of the fiber strain.

The essential feature of my invention is to avoid the formation of angular bends in the fiber forming the insulation, as illustrated in prior joints of a similar nature, and to this end I provide, as clearly illustrated in the cross sectional views, inner filler bars or members having concaved and curved faces to receive the sheet' of insulation which is correspondingly bent and curved and held in place by splice-bars having a curved surface of similar character in cross section. By' having a curved bearing surface for Vthe insulating material I am -enabledto provide the greatest amount of' bearing surface with the least material. This idea is carried out in all the forms of my improved structure, although exteriorly each joint is substantially the same, and hence I have shown but one elevation, which may be understood to represent any of the constructions illustrated in *the sectional views.

In the drawings, l, l, represent the meeting endslof the rail, between which I place an insulating post 2, which may be of a contour conforming to the flange of the rail, with `an upwardly projecting portion extending to the rail head. The filler bars or members are indicated at 3, and, as shown inthe cross sectional views, Figs. 3, 4 and 5, are of a contour to substantially hug the under side of the head and the upper side ofv the liange of the rail in the same manner as an 4ordinary splice-bar. The filler members shown in Fig. 3, however, have the greater portion of the lower flange omitted. The outward surface 4 of these filler bars, however,is recessed o1' concaved in the manner shown; such surface being extended in a full curve so as to avoid the necessity of sharp angles in the -cross section of the sheet of insulation.

The insulation is indicated at 5 and tit-s the curved wall of the iller bar or member.

For holding such insulation in place and retaining the filler bars against longitudinal movement, I provide `n1eans comprising splice-bars 6, having a suitable convexly curved inner wall 7 to meet and engage the sheet of insulation in the manner indicated; said splice-bars being held inA place by snit- `able bolts 8 and nuts 9, and the bolts may be provided with the usual insulating' sleeves l0. The sheet of insulation projects beyond the outer wall of the splice-bars whereby l insure a bearing area greater in extent than' the under side yof the rail head and thereby considerably reduce the strain upon the liber during the use of the structure. The lower portion of the insulation is also preferably lcarried over the flange of the rail or the foot of the filler members in the Vmanner shown.

In the structure shown in Fig. 4C,v the foot of the filler members is extended over the flange of the rail, havinga. portion disposed a slight distaneeawa from the flange of the rail, which construction alfords a chance the filler bars to spread slightly when the splice-bars are tightened in order to take up any wear in the joint. j

In the structure shown in Fig. 5, the curved surfaceor wall ot' the filler bars or members is a complete semi-circle, and the sheet ot' insulation as well as the splice bar will be curved accordingly so asto take into the same. In-this instance, the vfeet of the filler bars may be positioned a slight distance away from the iiange of the rail, as indicated in Fig. 4, or they may be shorter and engage the said iiange, as indicated in Fig. 2.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4c, in which the insulation is not Jiormed in a single curve, there may be some slight ditliculty in fitting the insulation into its proper seat and ready to receive the splicebars; To avoid this difficulty the splicebars shown in these figures may be grooved from end to end as indicated at 11, at a point substantially opposite the changein the surface of the insulation. As the'cross-section of the insulation in the construction shown in Fig. 5, is a true semi-circle, there will be no necessity of grooving the splice-bars used therewith.

In all.instances, the cross section of the sheet ot insulation shows curved lines, which shaping the insulation by avoiding the' formation ot sharp corners to receive such ltionvwith the meeting ends of rails, conwhich would tend to strain and destroy the fiber of the insulation; such curved condition materially assisting the setting up of the members of the joint when the same be come loosened under traiiic wear, and providing the greatest amount ,of bearing surface with the least material.

I claim:

l. In an insulated rail joint, the combination with the meeting ends of rails, continuous splice -bars, and discontinuous iller members, of insulation disposed b'etween said filler bars and splicebars and having a curved shape, the walls of the filler bars and splice-bars being recessed and curved insulation between them and the curves of the filler-bars, splice-bars and insulation being substantially semicir/'cular in cross section.

2. In an insulated rail joint, the combination with the meeting ends of rails, continuous splice bars, and discontinuous ller members, of insulation disposed between said filler bars and splice-bars and having a curved shape, the walls of the filler bars and splice-bars being recessed and curved. to receive them and the curves of the filler-bars, splicebars and insulation being substantially semi circular in cross section, such construction providing the greatest amount of bearing surface with the least material.

3. In an insulated rail jont, the combinatinuous splice-bars, members disposed between said splice-bars such insulation between` and 'discontinuous filler and rail ends, of continuous sheets of insu- -lation disposed between said filler bars and splice-bars and vhaving a curved shape, the

walls of the filler bars being concaved and the splice-bars being convexly curved to receive said sheets of insulation between them and the curves of the ller-bars, splice-bars and insulation being substantially semi-circular in cross section.

l.. In an insulated rail joint, the combination with the meeting ends of rails, continuous splice-bars, and discontinuous ller members disposed between said vsplice-bars and rail ends. and having feet or flanges overlying the ange of the rail, of continuous sheets of insulation disposed between said ller bars and splice-bars and having acurved shape, the walls of the ller members being concaved and the splice-bars being convexly curved to receive said sheets of insulation between them and the curves of the filler-bars, splice-bars and insulation being substantially semicircular in'cross section, and the eet of the filler members being disposed a slight distance from the iiange of the rail.

5. The combination, in an insulatedV railjoint, of the meeting ends of the rails, discontinuous filler membershaving concaved side walls paralleling the rail ends, sheet insulation coveringthe surface of such concaved walls and extending between the outer en ds of the tiller members and bridging the latter, splice-bars having conveXly curved walls fitting against said insulationv and holding the curves of the tiller-bars',. splice-bars and insulation being substantially semi-circular in cross section, Iand means splice-bars, insulation, and ller members tothe rail ends.

6. The combination, in an insulated rail joint, 'of the meeting ends ot' the rails, discontinuous filler members having concaved side wallsparalleling the rail ends, sheet insulation covering the surface ofsuch concaved walls and extending between the outer ends of the ller members and bridging the latter, splice-bars having'convexly curved walls fitting against said insulation and holding the latter to the filler members the curves of the Vfiller-bars, splice-bars and in-v sulation being substantially semi-circular in cross section, and means for holding the splice-bars, insulation, and Eller members to the rail ends, said splice bars havin their wall adjacent the insulation groove from end to end.

7. In an insulated rail joint, the/'combination of the meeting ends of the rails, a continuous spliceLbar and discontinuous ller members of insulation disposed between said filler-bars and splice bar and latterto the filler members the for holding the having. n.130

in smony whereof, I have signed my l name co this s of two subscnb messes:

MURRAY- C. Bom WM; A. BARR.

ecica-tion, in the 111g Wnesses.

'GEQRGE W@ Wm presence Y 

